was not famous for sense of any kind, I must be a second and
revised edition of mother--but hark, don't you hear the roll of
wheels?" And springing up, she reached the window just as Mrs.
Hastings alighted from her carriage which stood before the gate.

"Great goodness!" she exclaimed, "there's Mrs. Hastings coming
here to call--and _I_ in this predicament. What _shall_
I do?"

"Let her wait, of course, until we change our dresses," answered
Alice, and rushing down the Stairs, Eugenia bade Dora "show the
lady into the parlor," adding, "and if she asks for me, say I am
suffering from a severe headache, but you presume I will see her."

Perfectly delighted at the idea of standing face to face with a
person of whom she had heard so much, Dora removed her high-necked
apron, and throwing it across the tub so that the sleeves trailed
upon the floor, was hurrying away, when her foot becoming
accidentally entangled in the apron, she fell headlong to the
floor, bringing with her _tub_, _suds_, _clothes_ and all!
To present herself in this drenched condition was impossible,
and in a perfect tremor lest Mrs. Hastings should go away,
Eugenia vibrated, brush in hand, between her own chamber and
the head of the kitchen stairs, scolding Dora unmercifully in the
one place, and pulling at the long braids of her hair in the
other.

At last, just as Mrs. Hastings was about despairing of being
heard, and was beginning to think that possibly her husband might
be right and Eugenia in the _suds_ after all, a chubby,